Indexing means for package printing mechanisms



8, 1959 A. J. FARKAS 2,899,890

INDEXING MEANS FOR PACKAGE PRINTING MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Air/e50 a FAR/(AS H15 Arm/m5"):

Aug. 18, 1959 A. J. FARKAS ,8

INDEXING MEANS FOR PACKAGE PRINTING MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 19, 1955 7 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALF/9E0 (A fiqR/(As HIS ATTORNEY.

r 2,899,890 Patented Aug. 18, 1959,

INDEXING MEANS FOR PACKAGE PRINTING MECHANISMS This invention relates to new, simplified and effective indexing means for package printing mechanisms and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction which will be highly efiicient in use and economical in manufacture.

The printing mechanism with which my improved indexing means is intended to be associated is especially designed and constructed for printing upon packages during the movement of the package along a predetermined path.

In such printing mechanism there are carried by a printing wheel or the like, radially disposed printing units usually spaced apart approximately 90. This wheel is rotated by the movement of the packages to present the printing units at the proper point with respect to the package for printing thereon. To prevent blurring of the printing on the package, it is necessary that the printing wheel be prevented from overriding the point of engagement with the package. It is the object of my invention to provide an improved indexing means which will assure positioning of the printing units successively in their respective positions with respect to the packages for proper printing thereon and at the same time prevent overriding of the printing wheel which, as before stated, would result in blurring of the printing on the package.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a package printing mechanism with which my improved indexing means is associated;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Only so much of the printing mechanism has been shown and will be hereinafter described as is thought necessary for a clear understanding of my invention.

The printing mechanism with which my invention is preferably associated is constructed in accordance with the disclosure shown in my copending application filed on even date hereof, Serial No. 535,166. In such application and as shown in the drawings of this application, there is provided a carriage which rotatably supports through the medium of a shaft 11 a traction wheel 12 and a printing wheel 13 arranged on the same shaft as the traction wheel and rotatable therewith. The traction wheel 12 is supported by the carriage 10 in bearing engagement with packages 14 which are moved along a platform 15 by mechanism not shown and not constituting any part of the present invention. The carriage 10 is supported above said packages by any suitable supporting structure, such for example as that indicated at 17.

The printing wheel 13 carries a plurality of individual printing units 18 arranged radially about the axis of the printing wheel and spaced approximately apart. These printing units include belts 19 on which are formed printing characters 20. The printing units 18 are adapted to successively engage the packages 14 as the latter are moved along the platform 15.

As in my copending application, ink is transmitted to the printing characters 20 by an ink supplying roller 21 rotatably carried by the carriage 10 as shown in Fig. 3.

My improved indexing means includes a bracket 22 or L-shaped formation with the base 23 thereof secured to the adjacent side plate 24 of the carriage 10. This bracket 22 has secured thereto by means of lock nuts 25 a sleeve 26 through which reciprocates one end portion 27 of an indexing rod 28. The rod 28 has an angled end portion to provide an indexing finger 29. On the opposite end portion of the rod 28 is secured a stop nut 30 which limits projection of the rod 28 in one direction through the sleeve 26.

Secured to the shaft 11 carrying the traction wheel 12 and printing wheel 13 between lock nuts 31 are spaced plates 32. Extending between these plates 32 are pins 33 on which are mounted roller bearing sleeves 34. These sleeves 34 are adapted to be successively engaged by the indexing finger 29.

To complete the invention there is mounted between the end of the sleeve 26 and a nut 35 threaded on the rod 28, an expansion spring 36 which maintains the indexing finger 29 against an adjacent roller bearing sleeve 34.

The pins 33 are located with respect to the printing wheel 13 in a manner such that engagement between one of the sleeves 34 and the indexing finger 29 when the rod 28 is in its extreme projected position under the action of the spring 36, will locate the printing unit 18 which is to operate upon the adjacent package 14, in proper printing relation with respect to such package and will prevent overriding of the printing wheel 13 during the printing operation on the package, thus not only properly locating the printing unit 18 with respect to the package, but also preventing blurring of the printing thereon during the printing operation.

As the indexing finger 29 is always in contact with one of the roller bearing sleeves 34, it will be obvious that the indexing operation is relatively silent. An indexing means constructed in accordance with the foregoing de scription is relatively simple in construction, highly ellicient for properly locating the printing units with respect to the package, and economical in manufacture.

While I have'illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

An indexing apparatus for a freely rotating printing wheel comprising spaced apart parallelly extending plates carried by and rotatable with said wheel, indexing members providing roller bearings arranged between said plates and spaced from each other in a predetermined pattern, a longitudinally movable horizontally extending indexing arm having one end bent at a substantially right angle to provide an indexing finger extending between said plates for continuous successive engagement with said roller bearings, a bracket carried by said apparatus for supporting said horizontally extending indexing arm, a fixed sleeve supported by said bracket through which said horizontally extending indexing arm longitudinally moves, a coil spring encircling said arm and compressed between said fixed sleeve and an adjustable nut carried by said arm, said compressed coil spring acting on said yieldably bear said indexing finger in one direc- 5 tion between said plates and against a roller bearing to index said freely rotatable printing wheel in. a predetermined position, and a stop member on one end of said arm and engageable with a portion of said fixed sleeve to limit projection of said arm in said one direction 10 under action of said spring.

References Cited the file of patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ware Jan. 16, 1912 Luland Sept. 20, 1932 Gould et a1 Nov. 27, 1934 McKay May 6, 1952 Gottscho et a1 Mar. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 16, 1922 

